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This Monday, November 18th is a special day on all the antennas of RFI entitled: "Waste, it overflows! What do we do ? What is the situation around the world, especially in Africa? What are the initiatives that attempt to respond to this immense environmental and human challenge? What are the solutions? Is the zero waste objective realistic? Many issues discussed in many programs that will focus on reporting and testimonials.
Wherever we live on the planet, we live with them, sometimes in their midst. Waste of all kinds accumulates in and around cities, to varying degrees in different parts of the world. Citizens, political leaders and associations, businesses, everyone is responsible. The reflection on our consumption patterns, on how we throw away what we do not want anymore must be carried out on an international scale. Producing less waste, better recycling, the collective challenge is immense. It remains to coordinate!
► What is this special day on Radio France Internationale ?
A special show (from 6:00 UTC) live from the bar restaurant Le Londress, rue de Paradis in Paris. The town hall and the association Zero Waste have been trying since the beginning of 2018 to make it a zero waste laboratory . The goal is to involve residents, traders and businesses in this process. Around Arnaud Pontus, many guests will react to reports that have been shot by RFI journalists around the world.
Juan Gomez will then give you the floor in Calls on the News . Caroline Paré ( Health Priority ) will discuss the effects of waste on our health. Emmanuelle Bastide ( 7 billion neighbors ) will wonder if we can pack without plastic. Caroline Lachowsky ( Around the Question ) will question our relationship to waste. And Anne Cantener ( Decryption ) will discuss international flows. The issue Accents d'Europe will deal with the world's largest waste market. Not to mention the Big Report of Sonia Rolley in the waste rivers of Kinshasa and many illustrations in text, images and videos on our site and our mobile applications .
►Why has the subject become unavoidable?
Because the inhabitants of the planet have never produced so much solid waste: about 2 billion tons per year. And that's not going to work out. In 2018, a World Bank report announced that by 2050 and if nothing changes, waste production will increase by 70%, much more in South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
►Why are these impressive numbers ?
Several determining factors: the endless development of long-distance retail trade in packaging, the advent of the consumer society in countries that were relatively excluded, urbanization rampant. As a result, mountains of plastic , electronic waste, organic waste (residues of plant or animal origin) and building waste accumulate in and around cities, unless they spill into rivers and then in the oceans.
►What are the consequences for human (and animal) life ?
First of all, the consequences for health : according to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), unauthorized landfills are one of the first sources of diseases, especially electronic waste being often toxic and dangerous. Worldwide, at least 64 million people suffer from pollution from the 50 largest landfills. In Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where mountains of garbage surround homes and cover rivers, an operation to fight against insalubrity was launched in October by President Felix Tshisekedi. "Kin the beautiful has become Kin the trash."
►Why is the subject at the heart of the news?
This is the big news: the revolt is organized in countries that receive non-recyclable waste from the richest areas. This is the case in Southeast Asia , which has been particularly affected since China closed its imports in early 2018. In recent months, the Philippines, Malaysia and some of their neighbors have started to send tons of waste to Western countries. Concern is also growing in Africa, which receives a lot of second-hand electronics, often out of order, and ends their lives in huge landfills like the one in Agbogbloshie, on the outskirts of Accra , Ghana.
►Concretely, who is mobilized?
A global awareness is being put in place along with movements against climate change. Initiatives promoted on social networks to encourage the limitation of waste flourish on all continents. Sorting at source, recycling, reconditioning, deposit, energy recovery, landfill, etc. The circular economy is on the rise. Collecting operations organized by inhabitants are multiplying. Environmental organizations are trying to educate political and economic decision-makers. Recently, a global coalition of NGOs called Break Free From Plastic published a report ranking some multinationals including Coca-Cola, Nestle and Pepsico as polluters. These companies promise to take action and make their packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable in the coming years.
►What has waste management become a major economic issue?
Because a whole sector has been put in place. From waste treatment to recycling to designing more sustainable products, there are many jobs that depend on it. Recycling also makes it possible to avoid the waste of natural resources and energy, to secure the supply of raw materials to the industry and to reduce its environmental impacts, explains ADEME , the French agency responsible for managing energy. Scientific research is particularly awaited on this subject with the contribution of "green chemistry". High technology can also play its role. The accumulation of waste also harms tourism, a priority sector in many countries, not necessarily the most developed. Environmental fonts are being put in place. The sector also feeds an informal economy, corruption and mafia business. The Italian mafia is for example particularly involved in the management of garbage .